The ONLY Premier League Team of the Season So Far: An Uncontroversial XI?

We are almost a third of the way through the 2025/26 campaign, and Arsenal have stormed to the top of the Premier League standings once again.

The Gunners have looked formidable under Mikel Arteta and are now as short as 8/13 to pick up their first title in over two decades. It is far from a guarantee, though, and there are a few clubs hot on their heels, with plenty of points still up for grabs.

Unsurprisingly, the league leaders have had plenty of standout performers this term. They boast the best defensive record and have been prolific in the final third.

But the Gunners will be looking nervously over their shoulders at their rivals, as players begin to find their best form heading into the busy winter stretch.

Several star names hit the ground running from the very first whistle this season, however, and their teams are reaping the rewards as a result.

While domestic action is paused for the final international break of 2025, BOYLE Sports has pieced together the Premier League Team of the Season so far, using a classic 4-3-3 formation that features the best of the best in England’s top-flight.

Premier League TOTS So Far

Premier League Team of the Season So Far 2025/26

Formation: 4-3-3

Goalkeeper

Goalkeeper

Robin Roefs (Sunderland)

Sunderland have been a revelation since their return to the Premier League, and fans on Wearside can thank goalkeeper Robin Roefs for a lot of their success so far.

The Black Cats have conceded just 10 goals across 11 games in the top-flight, the joint-fourth best record in the division. Last season’s Championship play-off winners look a sure bet to avoid instant relegation with every match that passes by.

Roefs has been the key to Sunderland’s solid defensive form, making 39 saves - the second-most in the league - and boasting the best save percentage (79.6%) of any goalkeeper.

Only four shot-stoppers have prevented more goals than the 22-year-old, and if the Dutchman can continue at his current level, Sunderland’s dream of European football may suddenly transform into a reality.

Defence

Defence

Right-back – Jurrien Timber (Arsenal)

Jurrien Timber had a disrupted first year at Arsenal after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), but since returning, he has been one of the first names on Arteta’s teamsheet.

Last season, the Dutchman spent his campaign locking down a spot at right-back and relegating rival Ben White to the bench. Now, he has built a reputation as one of the most reliable defenders in Europe.

Not only has Timber been part of a defence that has shipped just five goals in the Premier League, but the 24-year-old has also been an essential tool in Arsenal’s attacking phases.

With two goals and an assist to his name, the former Ajax star has more goal contributions than several high-profile summer signings this season, including Xavi Simons, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak.

Centre-back – Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth)

After losing practically their entire backline in the summer, Bournemouth were in desperate need of some new defensive quality: enter Marcos Senesi.

The Cherries’ overall form may have dropped off after a quick start, but the Argentine’s has not. No defender has made more interceptions (18) than the 28-year-old, while he ranks second for blocks (13) and clearances (93).

After setting off at such a blistering pace, the south coast side now find themselves lurking in midtable, although only two points separate them and third-placed Chelsea.

A spot in Europe is still very much up for grabs if Andoni Iraola can keep his star players at the top of their game, and Senesi will continue to lead from the back as he looks to prove he is a more than capable replacement for Dean Huijsen.

Centre-back – Gabriel (Arsenal)

Gabriel has formed a formidable partnership with William Saliba at the back for Arsenal, with the Brazilian becoming the club’s not-so-secret weapon from set pieces in 2025-26.

With two assists and a goal to his name, the 27-year-old has now been involved in 20 goals for the club since joining from Lille in 2020 - no centre-back has been more prolific in that time.

But Gabriel will likely be more proud of the eight clean sheets he has helped his side keep in the new campaign, a crucial part of their climb to the top of the table after 11 matches.

Despite dropping points to Sunderland and Manchester City finally hitting form again under Pep Guardiola, the Gunners are heavily favoured to continue their run and sit at the summit come Christmas Day.

Left-back – Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal)

Another Arsenal defender?! Absolutely. The Gunners’ defence has been head and shoulders above the rest so far, and that includes the work of Italian full-back Riccardo Calafiori.

With both Myles Lewis-Skelly and Piero Hincapie on the books, Calafiori has had to perform at an exceptional level to even guarantee his place in the team. The hard work is paying off for the 23-year-old, who, like Timber, had a mixed start to life in north London.

Arsenal’s No.33 is a recovery specialist, charging up and down the left flank relentlessly. From the Gunners’ crop, only Eberechi Eze (25) and Viktor Gyokeres (20) have had more shots than Calafiori (19), while only Declan Rice (46) has won possession more times than the Italy international.

He may go under the radar due to the quality in other areas of Arsenal’s backline, but their left-back has more than earned his place in the Team of the Season so far.

Midfield

Midfield

Central midfield – Declan Rice (Arsenal)

Declan Rice went down in Arsenal folklore after scoring two stunning free-kicks during last season’s Champions League run, and the England international has picked up where he left off in 2025-26.

No player has created more chances than the former West Ham captain (23) across all competitions in 2025, and Rice has often been the focal point for the Gunners this term, with the club coming up against more defensive opposition and relying on his world-class delivery to breach several stubborn backlines.

Only Bukayo Saka has been involved in more Premier League goals at the Emirates than his Three Lions team-mate (9) since the start of last season, which is a testament to Arsenal’s recruitment strategy as they continue to craft a title-winning team.

Unsurprisingly, there have been plenty of shouts for Rice to land the PFA Player of the Year award, although he might have to fight off stiff competition from Saka and Erling Haaland.

Central midfield – Moises Caicedo (Chelsea)

The debate over who is the best midfielder in the Premier League has rumbled on all season, and like Rice, Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo has a strong claim to the throne.

He stands alone as the player with the most interceptions (26) in the top-flight this season, but his performances in big games have been the real talking point.

In the wins over Tottenham and Liverpool, the Ecuadorian anchor provided key moments that turned the tide in his side’s favour, with a crucial interception against the Blues’ north London rivals that led to the winner and a goal for himself when the Reds came to visit.

Thanks to the 24-year-old’s efforts, Chelsea are sitting comfortably inside the top four during the international break, and are available at 5/6 to finish there come May.

Central midfield – Granit Xhaka (Sunderland)

On his return to England, Granit Xhaka has led by example from the moment he was first pictured holding up the Sunderland shirt.

Defensive midfielders are often neglected when it comes to picking the standout players of the season, but his gritty, battling performances for the Black Cats have been just as crucial as Roefs’ saves in goal.

In the sensational 2-1 win against Chelsea at the end of October, no player made more tackles than the Swiss international (4). A few weeks later, he starred again, this time against his former club Arsenal.

With 13 defensive contributions and three tackles in that game, the 33-year-old, who also has a goal and three assists this season, truly proved to the rest of the Premier League that he is far from finished.

Attack

Attack

Left wing – Antoine Semenyo (Bournemouth)

Antoine Semenyo is one of the outsiders to challenge Erling Haaland for the Golden Boot this season, although he is less favoured at 33/1 compared to the likes of Mohamed Salah (25/1), despite an astonishing start to the campaign.

The Ghana forward bagged six goals in his first seven Premier League outings this season, carrying Bournemouth to within touching distance of top spot before the Cherries began to run out of steam.

Nonetheless, Semenyo has been involved in over half of his club’s total goals (17) in the top-flight this term, and is part of a special club alongside Salah and Bryan Mbeumo for scoring over 10 goals and providing five or more assists in 2025.

He became the first player to be directly involved in five goals in the Premier League this season, and has since been linked with a move to several of Europe’s giants.

Right wing – Mohammed Kudus (Tottenham Hotspur)

No player has provided more goal-creating actions (7) than Tottenham’s Mohammed Kudus this season.

Semenyo’s Ghanaian counterpart has been a phenomenal addition to Thomas Frank’s side, providing edge-of-your-seat football with his dazzling take-ons and leading the assist charts alongside Jack Grealish and Quilindschy Hartman with four.

Only Manchester City’s Jeremy Doku has been able to keep pace with Kudus’ desire to beat his opponent, with the pair tied on 34 successful take-ons, seven clear of the nearest challenger.

There were a lot of candidates to slot in on the wing for our ultimate Team of the Season so far, but the Spurs man has been consistently brilliant after making the switch from rivals West Ham.

Striker – Erling Haaland (Manchester City)

The easiest pick of the bunch, Erling Haaland has been at his breathtaking best this season for Manchester City, leading the goalscoring charts with 14, six more than his closest rival.

Such is his finesse in the final third, his odds to finish as the Premier League’s top scorer sit at 1/12, making him the outright favourite by some distance - with Manchester United’s Bryan Mbeumo and Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres in pursuit at 20/1.

Haaland has only bettered his incredible scoring tally after 11 games once since joining City, back in the 2022-23 campaign. He won the PFA Player of the Year award that year, and he is unsurprisingly the 13/8 favourite to replicate that achievement, as long as he does not lose his shooting boots.

Currently, he is responsible for nearly 65% of the club’s total goals this season, and is without a doubt the most in-form forward in England right now.

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